Cooling tube assembly for cooling of the interior of a container

ABSTRACT

A cooling tube assembly is provided. The assembly includes a cylindrical cooling tube extending from a first end to a second end. The cooling tube has an inner surface, an outer surface, an inner diameter, and an outer diameter. The cooling tube includes a first plurality of throughbores and a second plurality of throughbores located axially between the first plurality of throughbores and the second end of the cooling tube. Each of the second plurality of throughbores is circumferentially offset from each of the first plurality of throughbores. The assembly includes a nozzle extending from a first end to a second end. The first end of the nozzle is located inside the cooling tube. The first plurality of throughbores is located axially between the second end of the cooling tube and the first end of the nozzle.

IDENTIFICATION OF RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This patent application claims priority of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 62/065,210, which is entitled “Cooling Tube Assembly forCooling of the Interior of a Container,” and which was filed on Oct. 17,2014, which patent application is hereby incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to and apparatus formanufacturing, and more particularly to an apparatus for manufacturingstrong glass containers.

In making glass containers, molten glass may be cut into cylinders ofglass, e.g., gobs, which fall into blank molds where they are formedinto parisons. Parisons may be inverted and transferred to a mold inwhich the parisons are blown into the shape of a container. An annealingprocess may be used to strengthen the containers.

The subject matter discussed in this background of the invention sectionshould not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mentionin the background of the invention section. Similarly, a problemmentioned in the background of the invention section or associated withthe subject matter of the background of the invention section should notbe assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. Thesubject matter in the background of the invention section merelyrepresents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also beinventions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention relates to a cooling tube assembly. Theassembly includes a cylindrical cooling tube extending from a first endto a second end. The cooling tube has an inner surface, an outersurface, an inner diameter, and an outer diameter. The cooling tubeincludes a first plurality of throughbores and a second plurality ofthroughbores located axially between the first plurality of throughboresand the second end of the cooling tube. Each of the second plurality ofthroughbores is circumferentially offset from each of the firstplurality of throughbores. The assembly includes a nozzle extending froma first end to a second end. The first end of the nozzle is locatedinside the cooling tube. The first plurality of throughbores is locatedaxially between the second end of the cooling tube and the first end ofthe nozzle.

Another embodiment of the invention relates to an apparatus forthermally strengthening a glass container after it is formed in an I.S.machine. The apparatus includes an oven configured to reheat the glasscontainer. The apparatus includes a cooling station configured to coolouter and inner surfaces of the glass container. The cooling stationincludes a cylindrical cooler extending from a first open end to asecond end. The cooling station includes a bottom cooler configured tocool a base of the container. The cooling station includes a coolingtube extending from a first end to a second end. The cooling tubeincluding a first row of throughbores and a second row of throughboreslocated between the first row of throughbores and the second end of thecooling tube. The throughbores in the first row are circumferentiallyoffset from the throughbores in the second row. Each of the throughboreshas a first cross-sectional area. The cooling station includes a nozzlecoupled to the cooling tube. The nozzle extends from a first end locatedinside the cooling tube to a second end. The nozzle includes adispensing bore. The dispensing bore has a second cross-sectional areafrom the first end of the nozzle to a junction. The junction is locatedaxially between the second row of throughbores and the second end of thecooling tube.

Alternative exemplary embodiments relate to other features andcombinations of features as may be generally recited in the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This application will become more fully understood from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingfigures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a curve representing an optimal stress parabola plottedagainst the thickness of a side wall of a glass container;

FIG. 2 is a curve representing viscosity plotted against temperature;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a post-manufacture glass containerthermal strengthening process according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a reheated glasscontainer about to have a post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening method performed upon it, with a cylindrical coolingshroud and a base cooling nozzle located below the glass container and acooling tube having a nozzle at its bottom end being located above theglass container according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic diagrams showing the glass container shownin FIG. 4 disposed inside the cylindrical cooling shroud and above thebase cooling nozzle located in the cooling shroud, with the cooling tubehaving the nozzle at its bottom end being located inside the glasscontainer to perform the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening method according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the cooling shroud illustrated in FIGS. 5and 6 from the top and side thereof according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the cooling shroud illustrated in FIGS. 5through 7 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a top end view of the cooling shroud illustrated in FIGS. 5through 8 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a first cross-sectional view of the cooling shroudillustrated in FIGS. 5 through 9 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a second cross-sectional view of the cooling shroud takenalong the line 11-11 in FIG. 10 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cooling shroudillustrated in FIG. 10 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an isometric view of the tube cooling nozzle illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6 from the top and side thereof according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 14 is a top end view of the tube cooling nozzle illustrated inFIGS. 5, 6, and 13 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 15-15 in FIG. 14according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the base cooling nozzle illustrated inFIGS. 5 and 6 from the top and side thereof according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 17 is a top end view of the base cooling nozzle illustrated inFIGS. 5, 6, and 16 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the base cooling nozzle illustratedin FIGS. 5, 6, 16, and 17 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 19 is an exploded isometric view of a post-manufacture glasscontainer thermal strengthening apparatus for performing the coolingportion of the post-manufacture glass container thermal strengtheningprocess according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a side plan view of the post-manufacture glass containerthermal strengthening apparatus illustrated in FIG. 19, also showing thedistal end of a supply conveyor for providing reheated glass containersto the post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus,as well as the proximal end of a discharge conveyor for conveyingthermally strengthened glass containers discharged by thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatusaccording to an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 21 through 28 are cross-sectional side views of portions of thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus and theends of the supply and discharge conveyors showing the sequence ofoperations as a reheated glass container has the post-manufacture glasscontainer thermal strengthening method used to thermally strengthen itaccording to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 29 is an isometric view of the takeout tongs operating assembly ofthe post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatusshown in FIG. 19 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 30 is a plan view of the cooling tube operating assembly of thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus shownin FIG. 19 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a an isometric view of two cooling shroud mechanisms of thecooling portion of the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening process illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20, each of whichcooling shroud mechanisms is for cooling two containers, showing one ofthe cooling shroud mechanisms raised and the other of the cooling shroudmechanisms lowered according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 32 through 35 are partially cutaway cross-sectional views of thecooling shroud mechanisms illustrated in FIG. 31, showing thetelescoping mechanisms providing cooling air to the cooling shrouds andthe base cooling nozzles according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 36 is an isometric view showing an oven having a supply conveyerextending therethrough to deliver reheated glass containers to thecooling tube operating assembly shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 according to anexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 37 is an isometric view showing the cooling tube operating assemblyand a deadplate, an exit conveyor, and a pusher mechanism and a portionof the oven from a side opposite the side shown in FIG. 36 according toan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 38 is a top plan view showing the cooling tube operating assemblyand a portion of the oven shown in FIG. 36 according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 39 is an isometric view of an alternate embodiment bottom coolerfor mounting in the bottom of the cooling shroud illustrated in FIGS. 5through 11 from the top and side thereof according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 40 is a top end view of the alternate embodiment bottom coolerillustrated in FIG. 39 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of the alternate embodiment bottomcooler illustrated in FIGS. 39 and 40 according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of the alternate embodiment bottomcooler illustrated in FIGS. 39 through 41 in the bottom of the coolingshroud illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 12 according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 43 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of an alternateembodiment post-manufacture glass container thermal strengtheningapparatus and method, showing cooling shrouds and cooling tubes mountedabove some glass containers on an air permeable conveyor andschematically depicted bottom cooling apparatus located below the glasscontainers below the cooling shrouds and cooling tubes;

FIG. 44 is a schematic cross-sectional depiction of the alternateembodiment post-manufacture glass container thermal strengtheningapparatus and method illustrated in FIG. 43, showing the cooling shroudsand cooling tubes lowered over some glass containers on the airpermeable conveyor and the cooling apparatus located below the glasscontainers below the cooling shrouds and cooling tubes cooling the glasscontainers;

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a coolingstation;

FIG. 46 is a side view of a cooling tube according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 47 is a perspective view of a portion of a cooling tube assembly ofthe cooling station illustrated in FIG. 45 according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 48 is a perspective view of a portion of a cooling tube of thecooling tube assembly illustrated in FIG. 46 according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 49 is a detail view of the portion 49-49 illustrated in FIG. 46;

FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 50-50 in FIG. 49;

FIG. 51 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 51-51 in FIG. 49;

FIG. 52 is a perspective view of the nozzle of the cooling tube assemblyillustrated in FIG. 46 according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 52A is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle of the cooling tubeassembly illustrated in FIG. 46 according to an exemplary embodiment;and

FIG. 53 is a cross-sectional view of the portion of the cooling tubeassembly illustrated in FIG. 46 according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the Figures generally, an exemplary embodiment of a coolingtube assembly is provided. The cooling tube assembly includes a coolingtube and a nozzle coupled to the cooling tube. The cooling tube includesa plurality of throughbores through which cooling fluid is directedtowards a sidewall of a glass container. The nozzle includes a boretherethrough configured to direct cooling fluid toward the base of theglass container. The cooling tube assembly is configured to effectivelyuse the cross-sectional area of the cooling tube to deliver cooling airinto the bottle. The configuration, shape, size, etc., of the coolingtube throughbores, the nozzle, and the nozzle bore are configured toprovide balanced cooling fluid flow, e.g., between the cooling tubethroughbores and the nozzle bore, minimum cooling fluid pressure losses,and enhanced cooling qualities resulting in low cooling times.

Thermal strengthening of a glass container rapidly cools the inner andouter surfaces of the glass container until the inner and outer surfacetemperatures are below the glass transition temperature, thereby“freezing” the surface structure of the glass container while allowingthe inner glass to continue to flow until its temperature reaches theglass transition temperature, then letting the glass container cool toroom temperature. When the glass container reaches room temperature, theinner and outer surfaces of the glass container will be in compressionand the interior of the walls of the glass container will be in tension.In a properly controlled cooling process, the stress along the thicknessof the walls of the glass container should thus vary from compression atthe outer walls to tension in the interior of the walls to compressionat the inner walls, with very little or no net radial stress.

FIG. 1 illustrates a stress parabola that represents the idealtheoretical stress distribution throughout its wall varying fromcompression at the outer wall of a glass container to tension in theinterior of the wall of the glass container (including the midpoint ofthe wall) to compression at the inside wall of the glass container. Thestress profile through the glass is ideally parabolic in shape, havingthe area under the horizontal axis equal to the area above thehorizontal axis, wherein the sum of surface compression is balanced bysandwiched tension to result in a net stress of zero. Ideally, thesurface compression zone thickness is typically 21% of the total glasswall thickness on each side, therefore 42% is in compression and 58% intension. The maximum tension level is typically half of the surfacecompression stress.

The compression stress levels that are imparted on both inside andoutside surfaces of glass containers usually range between −20 MPa and−60 MPa. Industry standard levels for Annealed glass are 0 MPa (±5 MPa),for Heat Strengthened glass are −24 MPa to −52 MPa, for Tempered glassare −69 MPa to −103 MPa, and for Safety Glass are −103 MPa to −152 MPa.Embodiments of the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening process described herein are capable of producing glasscontainers having an outside compressive stress of 20 to 60 MPa whichresults in a buried tensile stress of 10 to 30 MPa.

In order to achieve a balanced stress profile having such compressivestress levels on the inner and outer surfaces of a glass container, bothsurfaces are cooled uniformly. Thin sections may be the most difficultto temper due to the difficulty of obtaining a large temperaturedifferential between the inner and outer surfaces and the core. Thinsections may use higher heat transfer coefficients than do thickerareas.

FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary viscosity to temperature curve thatillustrates several key temperature-dependent characteristics of atypical glass container having the depicted viscosity to temperaturecurve. After the glass container is fully blown and has been removedfrom its mold, it must remain cooler than its Softening Point 60, whichis typically approximately 748 degrees Centigrade. The glass material ofthe glass container is a viscous liquid at temperatures above theSoftening Point 60, as illustrated by a viscous liquid rangecharacterization 62.

Following the molding process, the glass containers are annealed in atemperature controlled kiln or oven, e.g., conventional Lehr, bygradually cooling them across a Glass Transition range 64 which islocated in a wider Glass Viscoelastic range 66 in which the glass of theglass container exhibits viscoelastic characteristics. The GlassTransition range 64 is the range of temperatures in which the glass inthe glass containers goes from being a super-cooled liquid to being asolid.

An Annealing Point 68 is shown in the Glass Transition range 64, andthis Annealing Point 68 represents the temperature at which stresses inthe glass container will be relieved in a selected predefined timeperiod, typically a few minutes. For a typical glass container, theAnnealing Point 68 temperature may typically be approximately 555degrees Centigrade. At a temperature below approximately 550 degreesCentigrade, it would take hours instead of minutes to relieve thestresses in the glass container.

At temperatures in the Glass Transition range 64 that are higher thanthe selected Annealing Point 68, it would take less time to relieve thestresses in the glass container. The stresses in the glass containersare locked in by cooling them to a temperature below the Strain Point70, which is typically approximately 532 degrees Centigrade, although itcan vary to as low as approximately 480 degrees Centigrade, dependingupon particular glass formula used to make the glass containers. Thethickest areas on the glass containers may typically cool slower thanthe thinner areas of the glass containers.

Referring next to FIG. 3, an embodiment of the post-manufacture glasscontainer thermal strengthening process is illustrated in a flow diagramshowing a thermal strengthening process 75 located intermediate a hotend process 76 and a cold end process 77. The process begins at a meltglass materials step 78 in which the materials used to make the moltenglass are melted together in a furnace. The molten glass is supplied tothe hot end process 76, beginning with the molten glass beingdistributed to blank or parison molds of an I.S. machine in a distributegobs to blank molds step 79. Parisons are formed in the parison molds ina form parisons in blank molds step 80.

The parisons are placed within blow molds and blown in a place parisonsin blow molds and blow glass containers step 81. The blown glasscontainers are initially cooled below the Softening Point in the moldsin a cool glass containers in blow molds step 82, which ends theoperations of the hot end process 76. The hot glass containers are thenmoved to the Lehr conveyer in a move glass containers to Lehr conveyerstep 83, where in a conventional process they would begin the controlledheating and cooling that constitutes the conventional annealing glasscontainer annealing process. As depicted in FIG. 3, however, the hotglass containers are instead subjected to the embodiment of the thermalstrengthening process 75, e.g., as further described below.

The hot glass containers (they are typically 500 degrees Centigrade to600 degrees Centigrade at this point) entering the thermal strengtheningprocess are initially subjected to a reheat glass containers to highertemperature in a kiln or oven, e.g., special tempering Lehr step 84. Thespecial tempering Lehr is hotter than a conventional Lehr, and may be,for example, set at approximately 600 degrees Centigrade at its entranceand approximately 715 degrees Centigrade at its exit. In the examplepresented herein, the special tempering Lehr may have a length ofsixteen feet (4.9 meters) and may have four independent temperaturecontrolled zones.

The typical time spent by the glass containers in the special temperingLehr is approximately two and one-half minutes to three and one-halfminutes, and the glass containers will be heated to a temperature ofbetween approximately 620 degrees Centigrade and approximately 680degrees Centigrade (but always to a temperature that is less than theSoftening Point). If the glass containers are less than approximately620 degrees Centigrade adequate compressive stresses may not beobtained, and if the glass containers are over approximately 680 degreesCentigrade they may become deformed.

Following the reheat glass containers to higher temperature in a specialtempering Lehr step 84, the reheated glass containers are subjected to athermal strengthening cooling process 85, in which the glass containersare cooled to a temperature below the Strain Point, preferably to arange of between approximately 400 degrees Centigrade and approximately450 degrees Centigrade. In one embodiment, in the thermal strengtheningcooling process 85 all areas of the glass containers are cooled belowthe Strain Point, including the thicker areas that typically take longerto cool. This cooling will be discussed in more detail below inconjunction with the discussion of the steps contained in the thermalstrengthening cooling process 85.

Following the thermal strengthening cooling step 85, the thermalstrengthening process 75 finishes in a glass containers further coolingstep 86 in which the temperature of the glass containers is reduced to atemperature of approximately 100 degrees Centigrade to approximately 150degrees Centigrade. The glass containers further cooling step 86 may beaccomplished by the use of fan arrays located over a conveyertransporting the thermally strengthened glass containers as they movefrom the thermal strengthening process 75 to the cold end process 77.

Alternately, if the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening process is integrated into an existing glass containerproduction line in which the first section of the Lehr is used toperform the reheat glass containers to higher temperature in a specialtempering Lehr step 84, the remaining sections of the Lehr may be usedto cool the glass containers in the glass containers further coolingstep 86.

Another alternative would be to use the thermal strengthening process 75as an operation wholly separate from the glass container manufacturingoperation in which finished, fully cooled glass containers would bereheated in the reheat glass containers to higher temperature in aspecial tempering Lehr step 84, strengthened in the thermalstrengthening cooling step 85, and then cooled in the glass containersfurther cooling step 86.

Returning to the thermal strengthening cooling process 85, oneembodiment of this process is shown in the steps illustrated in FIG. 3.The glass containers coming from the special tempering Lehr in thereheat glass containers to higher temperature in a special temperingLehr step 84 are picked up from the conveyer belt exiting the specialtempering Lehr with tongs and are lifted to a position above coolingshrouds in a glass containers picked up and lifted above cooling shroudsstep 87. Next, cooling shrouds having cooling nozzles are raised tosurround the glass containers in a cooling shrouds with cooling nozzlesraised around glass containers step 88, and cooling tubes are loweredinto the interiors of the glass containers in a cooling tubes loweredinto glass containers step 89.

Cooling air is then supplied to the cooling shrouds, the coolingnozzles, and the cooling tubes in a cooling air supplied to coolingshrouds, cooling nozzles, and cooling tubes step 90, while the coolingshrouds are optionally rotated and the cooling tubes are oscillated in acooling shrouds rotated and cooling tubes oscillated step 91 tosimultaneously cool the exterior surfaces and the interior surfaces ofthe glass containers. It may be noted that the outside surfaces of theglass container finishes are conductively cooled with tong inserts inthe tongs supporting the glass containers throughout the thermalstrengthening cooling step 85.

The glass containers are cooled to a temperature below the Strain Pointin a glass container interior and exterior surfaces temperaturesimultaneously lowered step 92, in one embodiment to the range ofbetween approximately 400 degrees Centigrade and approximately 450degrees Centigrade. Cooling times may be relatively fast in order toallow the process to be used in commercial manufacturing operations, andthus may be less than approximately fifteen to approximately twentyseconds for typical glass containers. Typical cooling times have beenfound to range from approximately nine seconds to approximately twelveand one-half seconds for glass containers weighing from 155 grams to 284grams, respectively.

When the glass containers have been cooled sufficiently to set thestrain in them, the cooling tubes are raised and the cooling shrouds andcooling nozzles are lowered in a cooling tubes raised and coolingshrouds lowered step 93. Next, the thermally strengthened glasscontainers are lowered to an outgoing conveyer belt in a glasscontainers lowered to outgoing conveyer belt step 94. This completes thethermal strengthening cooling step 85, and the glass containers thenproceed to the glass containers further cooling step 86 which has beenpreviously mentioned.

Following the thermal strengthening process 75, the glass containers maybe provided to the cold end of the glass container manufacturing linefor application of the cold end process 77. If the glass containers areto be coated, they must be at a temperature of between approximately 100degrees Centigrade and 150 degrees centigrade. They may be coated, forexample, with a lubricious coating in a cold end coating step 95. Theglass containers are then transported to an inspection area in a glasscontainers moved to inspection area step 96, and they are inspected inan inspect glass containers step 97 (where they are typically at areduced temperature of between approximately 25 degrees Centigrade and80 degrees Centigrade). The thermally strengthened glass containers arethen complete, as indicated in a strengthened glass containers completetermination step 98.

Moving next to FIG. 4, several of the components of an embodiment of thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening process areillustrated in conjunction with a glass container 100. The glasscontainer 100 is supported throughout the post-manufacture glasscontainer thermal strengthening process by tongs 102 that have removedthe glass container 100 from a kiln or oven, e.g., a special temperingLehr (not shown), that has reheated the glass container 100.

In FIG. 4, the glass container 100 is shown located directly above acylindrical cooling shroud 104 and above a bottom cooling nozzle 110that is located inside the cooling shroud 104 nearer the bottom than thetop thereof. A cooling tube 106 having a tube nozzle 108 located at itsdistal end is shown with the tube nozzle 108 being located above theglass container 100. More detailed descriptions of the cooling shroud104, the bottom cooling nozzle 104, the cooling tube 106, and the tubenozzle 108 will be provided below in conjunction with FIGS. 7 through18.

Referring next to FIGS. 5 and 6, an embodiment of the post-manufactureglass container thermal strengthening apparatus is shown with the glasscontainer 100 lowered entirely into the cooling shroud 104 so that thebottom of the glass container 100 is located above the bottom coolingnozzle 110 to provide cooling air to cool the bottom of the glasscontainer 100. The orthogonal apertures 112 in the cooling shroud 104direct the flow of cooling air onto the neck and finish of the glasscontainer 100, and the angled apertures 114 direct cooling air onto thelower portion of the neck, the shoulders, and the body of the glasscontainer 100. The cooling shroud 104 may optionally be rotated, e.g.,moving the sources of cooling air relative to the surface of the glasscontainer 100, to “smear” the jets of cooling air from the orthogonalapertures 112 and the angled apertures 114, with the rotation eitherbeing continuous or oscillating.

The hole pattern in the cooling shroud 104, the size of the coolingshroud 104 (i.e., the inside diameter and the outside diameter), thenumber of the apertures 112 and 114, the diameters of the apertures 112and 114, the pressure setting, and whether the apertures 112 and 114 areradial and/or angled can all be modified to optimize the strength of theglass container 100 by tailoring the compression stress profile on theouter surface of the glass container 100. In this way, strength can bemaximized for whatever type of performance requirement that isdesired—be it burst, drop, vertical load, impact, or thermal shockresistance. Typical cooling air pressure provided to the cooling shroud104 may be approximately 75 mbar to approximately 150 mbar.

Cooling air is also supplied through the cooling tube 106 to the tubenozzle 108, which directs cooling air onto the inside surfaces of theglass container 100. The cooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108 may beoscillated between the position shown in FIG. 5 near the bottom of theneck of the glass container 100 (or optionally from a position higher upin the neck of the glass container 100) and the position shown in FIG. 6nearer the bottom of the glass container 100 (or optionally a higher orslightly lower position in the glass container 100). The cooling tube106 and the tube nozzle 108 may be oscillated between these twopositions up to approximately six times per glass container 100, or,optionally, only once to the position shown in FIG. 6. The speed of theoscillation may be constant, or it may vary during the stroke depth, andit may also optionally be paused briefly at any position.

The plunging of the cooling tube 106 inside the glass container 100 setsup beneficial air flow patterns. These flow patterns are enhanced by theengineered geometry of the tube nozzle 108 at the distal end of thecooling tube 106. The feed area (the inside diameter of the cooling tube106) and the exhaust area (the inside diameter of the finish of theglass container 100 minus the outside diameter of the cooling tube 106)may be carefully balanced to provide for maximum airflow into and out ofthe glass container 100. The size of the cooling tube 106 may thus bedetermined.

The position, speed, stroke, and pressure setting of the cooling tube106 can all be modified to optimize the strength of the glass container100 by tailoring the compression stress profile on the inner surface. Inthis way, strength can be maximized for whatever type of performancerequirement that is desired—be it burst, drop, vertical load, impact orthermal shock resistance, or adjusted to compensate for bottle geometryconsiderations (e.g., challenging shapes, wall thickness variations).Typical cooling air pressure provided to the tube nozzle 108 may beapproximately 2.7 bar±0.7 bar, and the stroke of the cooling tube 106and the tube nozzle 108 may be up to approximately 180 mm.

The design of the bottom cooling nozzle 110 may also be modified tofacilitate the optimization of the strength of the glass container 100.The bottom cooling nozzle 110 is positioned and to cool the outsidebottom of the glass container 100. Typical cooling air pressure providedto the bottom cooling nozzle 110 may be approximately 0.7 bar.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 through 12 in addition to FIGS. 4 through 6, itmay be seen that the cooling shroud 104 is open both on the top end andon the bottom end thereof, and has the pluralities of the orthogonalapertures 112 and the angled apertures 114 located in the side wallsthereof, each of which may be approximately 2 mm in diameter. Thecooling shroud 104 thus functions to cool the outside surfaces of theglass container 100, other than the bottom of the glass container 100.The outer side of the cooling shroud 104 will be supplied with airpressure in an annular cavity formed between the outer surface of thecooling shroud 104 and an enclosing member not shown in FIGS. 7 through12.

The cooling shroud 104 uses tiny hole patterns (for example,approximately 18 sets of each of the orthogonal apertures 112 and theangled apertures 114) in the side walls thereof to evenly cover theexterior surfaces of the glass container 100. It may be best seen inFIGS. 6 and 10 that the large plurality of angled apertures 114 in theside walls of the cooling shroud 104 are angled downwardly, for exampleat an angle of approximately 45 degrees. These angled apertures 114 willcool the shoulders and the side wall of the glass container 100. Locatedabove the angled apertures 114 are a large plurality of orthogonalapertures 112 that will cool the neck and outside of the finish of theglass container 100.

The air pressure in the angled apertures 114 and the orthogonalapertures 112 is preferably approximately 75 mbar to 300 mbar (30 to 120inches of water) as measured in each individual annulus. A large numberof tiny angled apertures 114 and the orthogonal apertures 112 are usedto evenly cover the exterior surfaces of the glass container 100. Inaddition, the cooling shroud 104 is rotationally oscillated, and may beaxially oscillated instead of or in addition to the rotation, to smoothout the cooling pattern on the glass container 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 13 through 15 in addition to FIGS. 4 and 5, itmay be seen that the tube nozzle 108 has an annular upper portion 120that fits within the interior of the end of the cooling tube 106, and anannular lower portion 122 that abuts the bottom of the cooling tube 106.Located below the annular lower portion 122 is an outwardly flaringfrustroconical segment 124 that may be at an angle of approximately 30degrees from vertical, and may be, for example, approximately 12 mm wideat its widest diameter. A centrally located aperture 126 that may be,for example, approximately 4 mm in diameter, extends through the annularupper portion 120, the annular lower portion 122, and the frustroconicalsegment 124. Eight radially spaced apart longitudinal apertures 128 thatmay be, for example, approximately 2.3 mm in diameter, extend throughthe annular upper portion 120 and the annular lower portion 122.

In one embodiment, the cooling tube 106 has an approximately twelvemillimeter outside diameter and an approximately ten millimeter insidediameter when it will be used with a 330 milliliter single servingbeer-container-type finish, and may have an approximately 19.05millimeter outside diameter and an approximately 16.56 millimeter insidediameter when it will be used with a 500 milliliter glass container ofthe size typically used for ice tea or juice. Both the cooling tube 106and the nozzle 108 are easily and quickly replaceable while installed onthe post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening equipment.The cooling tube 106 is mounted in a straight, vertical position, andmay be lowered into the interior of the glass container 100.

Air pressure is supplied through the cooling tube 106 to the nozzle 108,and exits the nozzle 108 through the centrally located aperture 126 andthe longitudinal apertures 128. In one embodiment, the air pressurefeeding the cooling tube 106 is approximately 2.0 bar±0.7 bar (30 psi±10psi). The cooling air exiting the nozzle 108 through the centrallylocated aperture 126 cools the inside of the glass container 100 at thebottom, while the cooling air exiting the nozzle 108 throughlongitudinal apertures 128 is dispersed and directed radially outwardlyby the frustroconical segment 124.

By oscillating the cooling tube 106 up and down, the entire length ofthe interior surfaces of the glass container 100 may be cooled. In oneembodiment, the nozzle 108 can be cycled up and down in an approximately180 millimeter stroke for a typical long neck beer container. Thecooling air supplied by the cooling tube 106 through the nozzle 108exits the glass container 100 through the finish of the glass container100.

Referring now to FIGS. 16 through 18 in addition to FIGS. 4 through 6,it may be seen that the bottom cooling nozzle 110 is mounted in astationary position coaxially within the cooling shroud 104 near thebottom thereof. The position of the bottom cooling nozzle 110 isadjustable in height for accommodating different bottle sizes within thecooling shroud 104. The bottom cooling nozzle 110 is supplied withcooling air to a chamber 130 located in the bottom thereof by a duct notshown in these figures. The bottom cooling nozzle 110 has a centrallylocated aperture 132 oriented upwardly which is surrounded by sixradially spaced apart angled apertures 134 that may be, for example, atangles of approximately 30 degrees from vertical, with the top of thebottom cooling nozzle 110 being frustroconical and beveled at an angleof approximately 60 degrees from vertical. The centrally locatedaperture 132 and the angled apertures 134 may be, for example,approximately 3.2 mm in diameter.

Cooling air is supplied to the chamber 130 in the bottom cooling nozzle110, and then exits the bottom cooling nozzle 110 through the centrallylocated aperture 132 and the six radially spaced apart angled apertures134. The air pressure supplied to the bottom cooling nozzle 110 ispreferably approximately 0.34 bar to 0.69 bar (5 to 10 psi). The spraypattern of the centrally located aperture 132 and the six radiallyspaced apart angled apertures 134 covers the bottom surface of the glasscontainer 100. The cooling air supplied by the bottom cooling nozzle 110exits the cooling shroud 104 at the bottom of the cooling shroud 104. Inone embodiment, the bottom cooling nozzle 110 is configured such that itwill not serve as a catch point for broken glass that might shatterduring the cooling process, since it may be desirable for such brokenglass to have a path to fall clearly out of the cooling shroud 104.

In one embodiment, the tongs 102 (shown in FIGS. 4 through 6) holdingthe glass container 100 hold it sufficiently rigidly to prevent it fromswinging while it is located in the cooling shroud 104. Alternatively,although they are not shown in the figures, it may be desirable to havea plurality of alignment pins located inside the cooling shroud 104 toprevent the glass container 100 from swinging. The alignment pins may bemade of a material capable of withstanding the high temperatures whilenot causing checks in the glass of the glass container 100. In oneembodiment, the alignment pins may also be easily replaceable. Sincethere will be a scrubbing action between the alignment pins and theglass container 100 due to the rotation of the cooling shroud 102, thealignment pins may be designed with a gap.

Referring next to FIG. 19, components of an embodiment of thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus areillustrated. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an assemblyincluding eight subassemblies. Four of these subassemblies function tomove the glass containers, one of the subassemblies functions to coolthe outside of the glass containers, one of the subassemblies functionsto support a subassembly that cools the interiors of the glasscontainers, and the last subassembly functions to cool the interiors ofthe glass containers.

The first subassembly that functions to move the glass containers is asupport member 140 located on the floor on which the post-manufactureglass container thermal strengthening apparatus is located that has twoupright drive covers 142 and 144 mounted extending upwardly nearopposite ends of a base member 146 and an operating mechanism cover 145located between the upright drive covers 142 and 144. The secondsubassembly that functions to move the glass containers is a tongs armsupport apparatus 148 that is mounted adjacent the upright drive cover142 and is supported by the base member 146 of the support member 140,and the third subassembly that functions to move the glass containers isa second tongs arm support apparatus 150 that is mounted adjacent theupright drive cover 144 and is supported by the base member 146 of thesupport member 140.

The tongs arm support apparatus 148 has a support post 152 that supportsa tongs drive arm 154 mounted at its proximal end at the top of thesupport post 152. Located at the distal end of the tongs drive arm 154is a tongs arm mounting member 156. Similarly, the tongs arm supportapparatus 150 has a support post 158 that supports a tongs drive arm 160mounted at its proximal end at the top of the support post 158. Locatedat the distal end of the tongs drive arm 160 is a tongs arm mountingmember 162.

The fourth subassembly that functions to move the glass containers is atongs support member 166 having a tongs bar 164 mounted at one end ontothe tongs arm mounting member 156 of the tongs drive arm 154 and at theother end onto the tongs arm mounting member 162 of the tongs drive arm160. Four sets of tongs operating apparatus 168 are supported by thetongs bar 164, with each set of the tongs operating apparatus 168supporting a pair of the tongs 102 only a portion of one of which pairsis visible in FIG. 19).

The tongs arm support apparatuses 148 and 150 function to drive thetongs support member 166 through an approximately 180 degree arc thatwill pick up the glass containers 100 from a conveyor exiting a kiln oroven, e.g., special tempering Lehr (not shown in FIG. 19), that reheatsthe glass containers 100, to move the glass containers 100 to a positionin which an embodiment of the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening method is performed, and finally to move the glasscontainers 100 to a conveyor removing the glass containers 100 from thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus.

The tongs arm support apparatus 148 and the tongs arm support apparatus150 are arranged and configured to operate together, maintaining thetongs bar 164 of the tongs support member 166 parallel to the basemember 146 of the support member 140 and a surface upon which thesupport member 140 is mounted. As the tongs arm support apparatuses 148and 150 drive the tongs support member 166, the tongs operatingapparatus 168, and the tongs 102 through the approximately 180 degreearc, the tongs 102 are all maintained in a vertical position such thatthe glass containers 100 carried by the tongs 102 will be maintaineddirectly below the tongs operating apparatus 168, irrespective of theangular position of the tongs arm support apparatuses 148 and 150 andthe tongs support member 166, the tongs operating apparatus 168, and thetongs 102.

In one embodiment, the subassembly that functions to cool the outside ofthe glass containers is a cooling shroud mechanism 170 that is mountedon the base member 146 of the support member 140 in a locationintermediate the upright drive cover 142 and the upright drive cover144. The cooling shroud mechanism 170 has two shroud mechanismsubassemblies 172 and 174 that are located side-by-side on the floor onwhich the post-manufacture glass container thermal strengtheningapparatus is located and between the tongs arm support apparatus 148 and150, each of which has two cooling shrouds 104 contained therein (andtwo bottom cooling nozzles 110 not shown in FIG. 19 contained therein).The cooling shroud mechanism 170 also contains apparatus for operatingthe cooling shrouds 104 and the bottom cooling nozzles 110.

The shroud mechanism subassemblies 172 and 174 have two positions: afirst, retracted position in which they are lowered, which is theposition shown for the shroud mechanism subassembly 172 in FIG. 19, anda second, extended position in which they are raised, which is theposition shown for the shroud mechanism subassembly 174 in FIG. 19. Inthe lowered position, the tongs support member 166 and the tongs 102 canfreely move glass containers either into position for thermal tempering,or away from the cooling position after thermal tempering. In the raisedposition, glass containers supported by the tongs 102 on the tongssupport member 166 with the tongs arm support apparatus 148 and 150 inposition for thermal tempering will be contained within cooling shrouds104 and above bottom cooling nozzle 110 located in the shroud mechanismsubassemblies 172 and 174 for thermal tempering.

While the shroud mechanism subassembly 174 is shown in its upwardlyextended position and the shroud mechanism subassembly 172 is shown inits downwardly retracted position, it will be appreciated that inoperation the shroud mechanism subassemblies 172 and 174 will movetogether between their downwardly retracted and upwardly extendedpositions. Other aspects of the cooling shroud mechanism 170 will bediscussed below in conjunction with the discussion of FIGS. 31 through35.

The subassembly that functions to support a subassembly that cools theinteriors of the glass containers in one embodiment is a cooling tubesupport assembly 176 that has two support arms 178 and 180, the bottomends of which are respectively mounted onto the support post 152 of thetongs arm support apparatus 148 and the support post 158 of the tongsarm support apparatus 150. The support arms 178 and 180 extend upwardlyabove the cooling shroud mechanism 170, and have a cooling tube assemblysupport bridge 182 mounted at their respective top ends and extendingtherebetween above the cooling shroud mechanism 170. The cooling tubeassembly support bridge 182 and the support arms 178 and 180 are mountedin a fixed position and are arranged and configured to allow the tongsarm support apparatus 148 and 150 to drive the tongs support member 166through its approximately 180 degree arc.

Finally, the subassembly that functions to cool the interiors of theglass containers in one embodiment is a cooling tube assembly 184 thatis mounted on the cooling tube assembly support bridge 182 above theshroud mechanism subassemblies 172 and 174. The cooling tube assembly184 supports four of the cooling tubes 106 each having a tube nozzle 108located at the bottom thereof. The cooling tube assembly 184 has a baseplate 186 that is mounted on the cooling tube assembly support bridge182 of the cooling tube support assembly 176.

Two vertically extending support rails 188 and 190 extend upwardly fromthe respective ends of the base plate 186. A support plate 192 ismounted between the top ends of the support rails 188 and 190. Acrossbar 194 is slidably mounted on the support rails 188 and 190 and isdriven in a vertical direction between the support plate 192 and thebase plate 186 by a screw mechanism 196 that is operated by a motor 198.

Extending downwardly from the crossbar 194 at spaced-apart intervals arefour tube support sleeves 200 (only two of which are shown in FIG. 19)each of which support a cooling tube 106 (only two of which are shown inFIG. 19). The cooling tube assembly 184 is arranged and configured sothat the cooling tubes 106 are respectively above and coaxial with thecooling shrouds 104 located in the shroud mechanism subassemblies 172and 174 of the cooling shroud mechanism 170. Cooling air may be suppliedto the cooling tube assembly 184 so that it will be provided to each ofthe cooling tubes 106.

The cooling tube assembly 184 is operable to drive the cooling tubes 106between two positions: a first, raised position, and a second, loweredposition. In the raised position, the tongs support member 166 and thetongs 102 can freely move glass containers 100 either into position forthermal strengthening, or from the position for thermal tempering afterthermal tempering is complete, with the bottom ends of the cooling tubes106 and the nozzles 108 being located above the tongs support member 166and the tongs 102 when the cooling tube assembly 184 is in the raisedposition. In the lowered position, the bottom ends of the cooling tubes106 and the nozzles 108 will be respectively located deep within glasscontainers 100 that are supported by the tongs support member 166 andthe tongs 102 for thermal tempering.

Referring next to FIG. 20, in one embodiment, the post-manufacture glasscontainer thermal strengthening apparatus is shown with a source ofreheated glass containers 100 and with the apparatus onto which thethermally strengthened glass containers 100 exit the post-manufactureglass container thermal strengthening apparatus. The post-manufactureglass container thermal strengthening apparatus will move the glasscontainers 100 between three positions: a first position in which theywill be picked up from a supply conveyor 210 after they have beenreheated, a second position at which the glass containers 100 will bethermally cooled, and a third position at which the glass containers 100will be deposited on a deadplate 212. While in the exemplary embodimentillustrated herein the tongs support member 166 has four sets of tongs102 mounted therefrom, each of which tongs 102 may be used to pick upand move a single glass container 100, it will be appreciated that anynumber of sets of tongs 102 may instead be used.

The supply conveyor 210 provides the reheated glass containers 100 tothe post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus,and the tongs 102 of the tongs drive arm 154 picks up the glasscontainers 100 and moves them in an arc by the rotation of the tongs armsupport apparatus 148 and 150 (the latter of which is not shown in FIG.20). The reheated glass containers 100 are moved in a counterclockwisearc approximately 90 degrees to a position in which they are thermallystrengthened.

The thermally strengthened glass containers 100 continue to be movedcounterclockwise in an arc by the rotation of the tongs arm supportapparatus 148 and 150 for an additional approximately 90 degrees, atwhich point the thermally strengthened glass containers 100 aredeposited by the tongs 102 on the deadplate 212. After the tongs 102 areraised, the thermally strengthened glass containers 100 are pushed ontoan exit conveyor 214 by a pusher mechanism 216. The thermallystrengthened glass containers 100 may then be conveyed away from thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus, andmay optionally be further cooled by fans or a subsequent cooling unit(not shown in FIG. 20).

Referring now to FIGS. 21 through 28, a sequence of the post-manufactureglass container thermal strengthening method is illustrated. Thesefigures are all shown as cross-sections along the centerline of thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus. InFIG. 21, the reheated glass containers 100 are shown exiting a kiln oroven, shown as special tempering Lehr 220, adjacent to thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus on thesupply conveyor 210. In one embodiment, the special tempering Lehr 220is located immediately downstream of the I.S. Machine (not shown inFIGS. 21 through 28) as closely as possible to minimize cooling of theglass container 100 before they enter the special tempering Lehr 220.The tongs support member 166 is being rotated clockwise in an arc withthe tongs 102 shown just above a reheated glass container 100. It willcontinue to rotate clockwise until the tongs drive arm 160 isapproximately horizontal, at which time the tongs 102 will grasp thefinish of a reheated glass container 100, the position of the tongs 102at that time being illustrated in phantom lines.

Following the tongs 102 grasping the finish of a reheated glasscontainer 100, the tongs support member 166 will begin to be rotatedcounterclockwise in an arc with the tongs 102 lifting the reheated glasscontainer 100 off of the supply conveyor 210 in a counterclockwise arcas shown in FIG. 22. The tongs support member 166 will continue torotate counterclockwise in an arc with the tongs 102 until the tongssupport member 166 is vertical, in which position the reheated glasscontainer 100 is located above the cooling shroud 104 and below thecooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108, as shown in FIG. 23.

As shown in FIG. 24, the cooling shroud 104 will be raised by the shroudmechanism subassembly 174 of the cooling shroud mechanism 170 tosurround the reheated glass container 100, with the bottom coolingnozzle 110 located just below the bottom of the reheated glass container100, and the cooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108 will be lowered bythe cooling tube assembly 184 until the tube nozzle 108 is in the neckof the reheated glass container 100. At this point, cooling air will beprovided by one or more cooling air sources to the cooling shroud 104,to the cooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108, and to the bottomcooling nozzle 110.

The cooling shroud 104 optionally is rotated and/or oscillated up anddown slightly to smear cooling air coming in from the orthogonalapertures 112 and the angled apertures 114 (both of which are shown inFIGS. 5 and 6) onto the outer surfaces of the reheated glass container100 to cool them. Simultaneously, the bottom cooling nozzle 110 willdirect cooling air onto the bottom of the reheated glass container 100to cool it. Also simultaneously, the cooling tube 106 and the tubenozzle 108 will be oscillated between the higher position shown in FIG.24 and a lower position shown in FIG. 25 to cool the inner surfaces ofthe reheated glass container 100. As mentioned previously, the coolingtube 106 and the tube nozzle 108 may be oscillated between one andapproximately six times.

At this point, in one embodiment, the glass container 100 surfaces arecooled quickly and uniformly, setting up a temperature profile throughthe glass which results in a permanent stress profile once all of theglass is cooled below the Strain Point, preferably to a range of betweenapproximately 400 degrees Centigrade and approximately 450 degreesCentigrade. Since all areas of the glass containers 100 are cooled belowthe Strain Point, including the middle of the thicker areas thattypically take longer to cool, the stress profile throughout the glasscontainers 100 will be closer to an ideal theoretical stressdistribution throughout the walls of the glass container 100, varyingfrom compression at the outer wall of a glass container to tension inthe interior of the wall of the glass container to compression at theinside wall of the glass container. This results in the glass containers100 being stronger, and also makes possible the manufacture of thinnerwalled and lighter glass containers that still have excellent strengthcharacteristics.

Following the performance of the post-manufacture glass containerthermal strengthening method as shown in FIGS. 24 and 26, the coolingshroud 104 and the bottom cooling nozzle 110 will be lowered by theshroud mechanism subassembly 174 of the cooling shroud mechanism 170 topositions below the thermally strengthened glass container 100, and thecooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108 will be raised by the coolingtube assembly 184 until the tube nozzle 108 is above the neck of thethermally strengthened glass container 100, as shown in FIG. 26.

The tongs support member 166 will then be rotated counterclockwise in anarc with the tongs 102 delivering the thermally strengthened glasscontainer 100 where its bottom is resting on the deadplate 212, as shownin FIG. 27. At this point, the tongs drive arm 160 is approximatelyhorizontal, and the tongs 102 will release the finish of the thermallystrengthened glass container 100 and begin to rotate clockwise, leavingthe thermally strengthened glass container 100 on the deadplate 212. Asthe tongs drive arm 160 continues to rotate clockwise, the pushermechanism 216 will push the thermally strengthened glass container 100onto the exit conveyor 214, as shown in FIG. 28.

Referring next to FIG. 29, the installation of the tongs arm supportapparatus 148 and 150 onto the support member 140 and the installationof the tongs support member 166 onto the tongs drive arms 154 and 160are illustrated. The support member 140 is shown with both the operatingmechanism cover 145 and the upright drive covers 142 and 144 (all ofwhich are shown in FIG. 19) removed for clarity. The support post 152 ofthe tongs arm support apparatus 148 is mounted onto the base member 146at end thereof, and the support post 158 of the tongs arm supportapparatus 150 is mounted onto the base member 146 at the other endthereof. The tongs drive arm 154 of the tongs arm support apparatus 148is supported for rotation at the top end of the support post 152, andthe tongs drive arm 160 of the tongs arm support apparatus 150 issupported at the top end of the support post 158.

A drive motor 230 is mounted on the base member 146 of the supportmember 140 at the center thereof, and operates to rotate a drive shaft232 having toothed pulleys 234 and 236 mounted on the respective endsthereof and supported for rotation by four bearing support members 238.The toothed pulley 234 drives a toothed pulley 240 that rotates thetongs drive arm 154 through a toothed belt 242. The toothed pulley 236drives a toothed pulley 244 that rotates the tongs drive arm 160 througha toothed belt 246. Located on and moving with the tongs drive arm 154is a tongs support rotation member indicated generally by the referencenumeral 248, and located on and moving with the tongs drive arm 160 is atongs support rotation member indicated generally by the referencenumeral 250.

The tongs support rotation member 248 and 250 operate to maintain thetongs support member 166 in its vertical orientation as the tongs drivearms 154 and 160 drive the tongs support member 166 through the arc asdescribed in conjunction with FIGS. 21 through 28. Mounted on the outerside of the support post 152 of the tongs arm support apparatus 148 is asupport bracket 252, and mounted on the outer side of the support post158 of the tongs arm support apparatus 150 is a support bracket 254. Thesupport brackets 252 and 254 will support the cooling tube supportassembly 176 and the cooling tube assembly 184 (both of which are shownin FIG. 19).

Referring next to FIG. 30, the crossbar 194 is mounted onto the supportrail 188 and 190 for vertical movement between the support plate 192 andthe base plate 186. The crossbar 194 is driven by the motor 198, whichdrives the screw mechanism 196 that extends through a threaded aperture260 in the crossbar 194. Two of the tube support sleeves 200 are mountedon a tube support plate 262, and the other two tube support sleeves 200are mounted on a tube support plate 264. The two tube support plates 262and 264 are in turn mounted onto the crossbar 194.

Referring next to FIG. 31, portions of the shroud mechanism subassembly172 and the shroud mechanism subassembly 174 are shown, again with theshroud mechanism subassembly 172 in its lowered or inactive position andthe shroud mechanism subassembly 174 in its raised or cooling position(although in operation typically both the shroud mechanism subassemblies172 and 174 would operate together in the same positions). It may beseen that each of the shroud mechanism subassemblies 172 and 174 have apair of cooling shrouds 104 respectively mounted in shroud housings 270and 272. The shroud housings 270 and 272 are respectively raised andlowered with electromechanically actuator mechanisms 274 and 276 (whichmay each be a servo-driven screw mechanism) mounted on the operatingmechanism cover 145 of the support member 140 (both of which are shownin FIG. 19) on which the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening apparatus is located.

Referring now to FIG. 32, a portion of the shroud mechanism subassembly174 is cut away to show some of the mechanisms contained therein.Specifically, a telescopic shroud air supply tube 280 and a telescopicbase air supply tube 282 are shown that respectively supply cooling airto the cooling shroud 104 and the bottom cooling nozzle 110. Thus, asthe shroud mechanism subassembly 174 is raised and lowered, the supplytubes 280 and 282 will extend and contract. The shroud air supply tube280 leads to a passageway 284 supplying cooling air to a shroud coolingcavity 286 located intermediate the shroud housing 272 and both of thecooling shrouds 104 located in the shroud housing 272.

Preferably, the cooling shrouds 104 are installed in the shroud housing272 such that the shroud cooling cavity 286 is sealed at the top andbottom of the cooling shrouds 104 so that all cooling air suppliedthrough the shroud air supply tube 280 will be delivered through theorthogonal apertures 112 and the angled apertures 114 in the coolingshroud 104 (which are best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6). The cooling shroud104 is optionally rotated during the cooling operation, as will becomeevident below in conjunction with a discussion of FIG. 35. (If desired,the cooling shrouds 104 may optionally be mounted for axial rotation inthe shroud housing 160 as well.)

The base air supply tube 282 leads to a nozzle supply tube 288 thatrigidly supports the bottom cooling nozzle 110 in position within thecooling shroud 104. Cooling air delivered through the base air supplytube 282 will be delivered to the centrally located aperture 132 and theangled apertures 134 in the bottom cooling nozzle 110 (shown in FIGS. 16through 18).

Referring next to FIGS. 33 and 34, additional detail of an embodiment ofthe shroud mechanism subassembly 172 is illustrated. The location of ashroud rotation mechanism is indicated with the reference numeral 290.Also, the location of a cullet chute 292 below the cooling shrouds 104in the shroud housing 270 is indicated. It should be noted that sincethe cooling shrouds 104 are open at the bottom (as well as at the top),and since the nozzle supply tubes 288 and the bottom cooling nozzles 110are sized and placed so as to leave the opening at the bottom of thecooling shrouds 104 largely unobstructed, should glass containers 100break while inside the cooling shrouds 104, the broken glass may freelyfall out of the cooling shrouds 104 and into the cullet chute 292, fromwhich is may be directed to a collection area (not shown in FIG. 33 or34).

Referring now to FIG. 35, additional hardware for use in an embodimentin which the cooling shrouds 104 are rotated during the coolingoperation is shown. Upper and lower bearings 300 and 302, respectively,are used to rotatably support the cooling shrouds 104 in the shroudhousing 270. Located below the upper bearing 300 is an upper sealingmember 304, and located above the lower bearing 302 is a lower sealingmember 306. If desired, the shroud air supply tube 280 (shown in FIG.32) can also provide cooling air through an additional passageway 308(in addition to the passageway 284 shown in FIG. 32). A mounting surface310 is shown in the side of the shroud housing 160. Finally, a locatingpin 312 for rotation of the cooling shroud 104 is shown near the bottomthereof. The motor and the linkage driving 312 are not shown in FIG. 35.

Referring next to FIGS. 36 through 38, an exemplary manufacturing linefor an embodiment of the post-manufacture glass container thermalstrengthening process that is located downstream of the hot end (theI.S. machines molding the glass containers, not illustrated herein) andupstream of the cold end (the coating and inspection machines, notillustrated herein) is illustrated. The special tempering Lehr 220 hasthe supply conveyor 210 running therethrough. Glass containers 100formed in an I.S. machine (not shown) are placed onto the supplyconveyor 210 at the right side of the special tempering Lehr 220 asillustrated in FIG. 36 after having been discharged from the I.S.machine. As the glass containers 100 enter the special tempering Lehr220, they may be between approximately 500 degrees Centigrade andapproximately 600 degrees Centigrade.

The special tempering Lehr 220 may be set at temperatures ranging fromapproximately 600 degrees Centigrade at the entrance zone (on the rightside as illustrated in FIG. 36) to approximately 715 degrees Centigradeat the exit zone (on the right side as illustrated in FIG. 37). In oneembodiment, the special tempering Lehr 220 is approximately sixteen feet(4.9 meters) long. The special tempering Lehr 220 may have, for example,four independent temperature controlled zones. The glass containers 100may spend between two and one-half to three and one-half minutes in thespecial tempering Lehr 220, and will be heated to a temperature ofapproximately 620 degrees Centigrade to approximately 680 degreesCentigrade in the special tempering Lehr 220. If the glass containersare below 620 degrees Centigrade adequate compressive stresses may notbe obtained in embodiments of the post-manufacture glass containerthermal strengthening process, and if the glass containers are aboveapproximately 680 degrees Centigrade deformations may occur in them.

Following the performance of the post-manufacture glass containerthermal strengthening process, the thermally strengthened glasscontainers 100 are deposited on the deadplate 212. The thermallystrengthened glass containers 100 are then pushed by the pushermechanism 216 onto the exit conveyor 214, which takes them away from thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus. Sincethe thermally strengthened glass containers 100 are still quite hot(although they are uniformly well below the Strain Point 70), they maybe subjected to cooling air from a schematically illustrated fan array320 for cooling them more completely before they reach the cold endequipment (not shown herein). Also shown in FIGS. 37 and 38 is thecullet chute 292 for collecting broken glass falling out of thepost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus, whichbroken glass is collected in a collection bin 322.

Referring next to FIGS. 39 through 41, an alternate embodiment bottomcooler 340 for mounting in the bottom of the cooling shroud 104 as shownin FIG. 42 is illustrated. Instead of using the bottom cooling nozzle110 best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 which is centrally located directlyunder the bottom of the glass container 100, the bottom cooler 340 maybe advantageous in that is offers excellent bottom coolingcharacteristics while presenting less of an obstruction to pieces of aglass container 100 that may break during the performance of embodimentsof the post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening methoddescribed herein due to defects. Those skilled in the art will realizethat if a piece of broken glass hangs up on the bottom cooling nozzle110, the apparatus may have to be stopped to manually remove the brokenglass.

The bottom cooler 340 instead is of a design which is entirely locatedclose to the inner wall of the cooling shroud 104 near the bottomthereof, and as such is entirely open under the bottom of a glasscontainer 100 that is being thermally strengthened. The bottom cooler340 includes a hollow cylindrical outer adjustable sleeve 342, a hollowcylindrical inner sleeve 344, and an annular locking element 346. Theupper portion of the outside of the inner sleeve 344 is curved inwardlyat the top thereof in a cross-sectionally arcuate manner as indicated bythe reference numeral 348. The bottom portion of the inner sleeve 344 isthreaded on the outer surface thereof.

The upper portion of the inside of the outer adjustable sleeve 342 iscurved inwardly at the top thereof in a cross-sectionally arcuate manneras indicated by the reference numeral 350. The inside of the outeradjustable sleeve 342 has an annular recess 352 located thereinimmediately below the inwardly curved portion 350. The outer adjustablesleeve 342 also has an inlet 354 leading from the outer surface of theouter adjustable sleeve 342 to the interior of the annular recess 352.The bottom portion of the outer adjustable sleeve 342 is threaded on theinner surface thereof a short distance below the annular recess 352.

The outer adjustable sleeve 342 is screwed onto the inner sleeve 344 sothat the inwardly curved portion 350 in the outer adjustable sleeve 342and the inwardly curved portion 348 in the inner sleeve 344 define a gap356 therebetween which will be the air outlet from the bottom cooler.The size of the gap 356 may be adjusted by rotating the outer adjustablesleeve 342 with respect to the inner sleeve 344. Once the gap 356 hasbeen adjusted as desired, the annular locking element 346 is screwedonto the threads on the outside of the inner sleeve 344 until it engagesand locks further rotation of the outer adjustable sleeve 342 on thetoothed pulley 244.

Referring now to FIG. 42, the bottom cooler is shown installed into asleeve 360 located inside the bottom portion of the cooling shroud 104.It may be seen that the sleeve 360 has a passageway 362 located in thebottom portion thereof that communicates between the inlet 354 in theouter adjustable sleeve 342 and an air supply tube 364 extending fromthe bottom of the sleeve 360. Thus, cooling air is supplied from the airsupply tube 364 to the bottom cooler, from which it is directed throughthe gap 356 between the inwardly curved portion 350 of the outeradjustable sleeve 342 and the inwardly curved portion 348 of the innersleeve 344 at a high velocity onto the bottom of the glass container100.

The bottom cooler shown in FIG. 39 through uses the Coanda effect, whichcauses the entrainment of ambient air around a fluid jet. Thus, thefluid jet emitted from the gap 356 between the inwardly curved portion350 of the outer adjustable sleeve 342 and the inwardly curved portion348 of the inner sleeve 344 will entrain ambient air located near theinner diameter of the inner sleeve 344 near the top thereof to therebyincrease the amount of air that is directed onto the bottom of the glasscontainer 100, thereby increasing the efficiency of the cooling of thebottom of the glass container 100.

Referring finally to FIGS. 43 and 44, an alternate embodimentpost-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatus andrelated method are schematically illustrated. Rather than using anapparatus that removes the reheated glass containers 100 from a supplyconveyor, thermally strengthens the glass containers 100, and thendeposits the thermally strengthened glass containers 100 onto an exitconveyor, the method schematically illustrated in FIGS. 43 and 44maintains the glass containers 100 on an air-porous conveyor 370throughout the thermal strengthening process.

Instead, the cooling shrouds 104 and the cooling tube 106 and the tubenozzle 108 are lowered onto the reheated glass containers 100, until thebottoms of the cooling shrouds 104 are just above the upper surface ofthe porous conveyor 370. Bottom cooling elements 372 are located belowthe porous conveyor 370 and the cooling shrouds 104, and direct coolingair upwardly onto the bottoms of the reheated glass containers 100.Simultaneously, cooling air is supplied to the sides of the reheatedglass containers 100 along their entire height to cool their outsidesurfaces, and the cooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108 are loweredinto the interior of the reheated glass containers 100 to cool theirinteriors. The cooling tube 106 and the tube nozzle 108 may beoscillated as described above.

Two different methods are contemplated by this alternate embodiment. Inone embodiment, the bottom cooling elements 372 is stopped while thethermal strengthening process is performed, after which the bottomcooling elements 372 is moved to advance the next set of reheated glasscontainers 100 to be thermally strengthened. In the other embodiment,the post-manufacture glass container thermal strengthening apparatusmoved together with the bottom cooling elements 372, in which case theremust be a sufficient longitudinal number of thermally strengthening setsto allow the bottom cooling elements 372 to continue without stopping.

With reference to FIG. 45, another embodiment of a cooling station 400for cooling a glass container 402 after it is formed in an I.S. machineis illustrated. The cooling station 400 includes some similarities tothe coolers described above. Therefore, differences are the focus of thedescription that follows.

In one embodiment, the cooling station 400 includes a cooling tubeassembly 404. The cooling tube assembly 404 includes a cooling tube 406(only a portion of the cooling tube 406 illustrated in FIG. 45) and anozzle 408. The cooling station 400 also includes a cylindrical coolershown as cylindrical cooling shroud 410. The cooling station 400 alsoincludes a bottom cooler shown as annular bottom cooler 412. The annularbottom cooler 412 is coupled to the cooling shroud 410 and configured tocool the base of the container 402 when the container 402 is located inthe cooling shroud 410.

With reference to FIGS. 46 and 47, in one embodiment, the cooling tube406 extends a length L1 from a first end 414 to a second end 416. In oneembodiment, the length L1 is between 300 millimeters and 500millimeters. In another embodiment, the length L1 is between 350millimeters and 450 millimeters. In another embodiment, the length L1 isbetween 397 millimeters and 413 millimeters. In another embodiment, thelength L1 is 405 millimeters. The nozzle 408 is located at the secondend 416 of the cooling tube 406, with a portion of the nozzle 408located inside the cooling tube 406.

With reference to FIGS. 48 through 51, in one embodiment, the coolingtube 406 includes a first plurality of throughbores, shown as a firstrow of throughbores 418. The throughbores 418 extend from an innersurface 420 of the cooling tube 406 to an outer surface 422 of thecooling tube 406. The cooling tube 406 also includes a second pluralityof througbores, shown as a second row of throughbores 424. Thethroughbores 424 extend from the inner surface 420 of the cooling tube406 to the outer surface 422 of the cooling tube 406.

Each of the first plurality of througbores 418 is circumferentiallyoffset relative to each of the second plurality of througbores 424. Thecooling tube 406 also includes a third plurality of throughbores, shownas a third row of throughbores 426 The throughbores 426 extend from theinner surface 420 of the cooling tube 406 to the outer surface 422 ofthe cooling tube 406. Each of the third plurality of throughbores 426 iscircumferentially offset relative to each of the second plurality ofthroughbores 424. Each of the third plurality of throughbores 426 iscircumferentially aligned with one of the first plurality of thethroughbores 418.

The third row of throughbores 426 is located axially between the firstrow of throughbores 418 and the second end 416 of the cooling tube 406.The second row of throughbores 424 is located axially between the firstrow of throughbores 418 and the third row of throughbores 426. In theillustrated embodiment, eight throughbores 418 in the first row areprovided. In other embodiments, other suitable numbers of throughboresmay be used. In the illustrated embodiment, eight throughbores 424 inthe second row are provided. In other embodiments, other suitablenumbers of throughbores may be used. In the illustrated embodiment,eight throughbores 426 in the third row are provided. In otherembodiments, other suitable numbers of throughbores may be used.

With reference to FIGS. 50 and 51, in one embodiment, the throughbores424 of the second row are evenly spaced apart around the circumferenceof the cooling tube 406. The center of each throughbore 424 is locatedan angular distance θ1 from the center of the throughbore 424 on eitherside. In one embodiment, the angular distance θ1 is 45°. Thethroughbores 426 of the third row are evenly spaced apart around thecircumference of the cooling tube 406. The center of each throughbore426 is located an angular distance θ2 from the center of the throughbore426 on either side.

In one embodiment, the angular distance θ2 is 45°. The center of eachthroughbore 424 of the second row is located an angular distance θ3 fromthe center of the throughbore 426 of the third row located on eitherside. In one embodiment, the angular distance θ3 is 22.5°. Thethroughbores 418 of the first row are also evenly spaced apart aroundthe circumference of the cooling tube 406. The throughbores 418 of thefirst row are each circumferentially aligned with one of thethroughbores 426 of the third row and circumferentially offset from thethroughbores 424 of the second row.

With further reference to FIGS. 50 and 51, in one embodiment, thecooling tube 406 has an inner diameter D1 and a flowpath with across-sectional area of π(D1/2)². In one embodiment, the diameter D1 isbetween 5 millimeters and 15 millimeters. In another embodiment, thediameter D1 is 10 millimeters. The cooling tube 406 also has an outerdiameter D2. In one embodiment, the outer diameter D2 is between 7millimeters and 17 millimeters. In another embodiment, the outerdiameter D2 is 12 millimeters.

With further reference to FIG. 50, in one embodiment, the throughbores424 of the second row each have a diameter D3 and a flowpath with across-sectional area of π(D3/2)². In one embodiment, the diameter D3 isbetween 0.5 millimeters and 2.5 millimeters. In another embodiment, thediameter D3 is between 1.4 millimeters and 1.6 millimeters. In anotherembodiment, the diameter D3 is 1.5 millimeters. With reference to FIG.51, in one embodiment, the throughbores 426 of the third row each have adiameter D4 and flowpath with a cross-sectional area π(D4/2)². In oneembodiment, the diameter D4 is between 0.5 millimeters and 2.5millimeters. In another embodiment, the diameter D4 is between 1.4millimeters and 1.6 millimeters. In another embodiment, the diameter D4is 1.5 millimeters. In one embodiment, the throughbores 418 of the firstrow each have the same diameter as the throughbores 424 of the secondrow and the throughbores 426 of the third row.

With reference to FIG. 49, in one embodiment, the center of each of thethroughbores 418 of the first row is located a distance D5 from thesecond end 416 of the cooling tube 406. In one embodiment, the distanceD5 is between 10 millimeters and 15 millimeters. In another embodiment,the distance D5 is between 12.8 millimeters and 13.2 millimeters. Inanother embodiment, the distance D5 is 13 millimeters. The center ofeach of the throughbores 424 of the second row is located a distance D6from the second end 416 of the cooling tube 406.

In one embodiment, the distance D6 is between 6 millimeters and 11millimeters. In another embodiment, the distance D6 is between 8.3millimeters and 8.7 millimeters. In another embodiment, the distance D6is 8.5 millimeters. The center of each of the throughbores 426 of thethird row is located a distance D7 from the second end 416 of thecooling tube 406. In one embodiment, the distance D7 is between 2millimeters and 6 millimeters. In another embodiment, the distance D7 isbetween 3.8 millimeters and 4.2 millimeters. In another embodiment, thedistance D7 is 4 millimeters.

With reference to FIGS. 52 and 53, an embodiment of a nozzle 408 isillustrated. The nozzle 408 extends from a first end 428 to a second end430. The nozzle 408 includes a dispensing bore shown as bore 432therethrough extending along a longitudinal axis A. The bore 432 has afirst portion 434 having a constant diameter D8 and a flowpath having aconstant cross-sectional area π(D8/2)². The bore 432 includes a junction435 between the first portion 434 and a second portion 436. In oneembodiment, the cross-sectional area of each of the throughbores 418,424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is between 5% and 15% of thecross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction 435.

In another embodiment, the cross-sectional area of each of thethroughbores 418, 424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49-51) is between 8% and 12%of the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction 435. Inanother embodiment, the cross-sectional area of each of the throughbores418, 424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is 9% of the cross-sectionalarea of the bore 432 at the junction 435. In one embodiment, the sum ofthe cross-sectional area of all of the throughbores 418, 424, and 426(see FIGS. 49 through 51) is between 100% and 300% of thecross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction 435.

In another embodiment, the sum of the cross-sectional area of all of thethroughbores 418, 424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is between 200%and 250% of the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction435. In another embodiment, the sum of the cross-sectional area of allof the throughbores 418, 424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is 216%of the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction 435. In oneembodiment, the sum of the cross-sectional area of all of thethroughbores 418, 424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is between 30square millimeters and 50 square millimeters.

In another embodiment, the sum of the cross-sectional area of all of thethroughbores 418, 424, and 426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is between 42square millimeters and 43 square millimeters. In another embodiment, thesum of the cross-sectional area of all of the throughbores 418, 424, and426 (see FIGS. 49 through 51) is 42.5 square millimeters. In oneembodiment, the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction 435is between 10 square millimeters and 30 square millimeters. In anotherembodiment, the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at the junction 435is between 18 square millimeters and 21 square millimeters.

In another embodiment, the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at thejunction 435 is 19.6 square millimeters. In one embodiment, the ratio ofthe sum of the cross-sectional area of all of the throughbores 418, 424,and 426 and the cross-sectional area of the bore 432 at junction 435 isbalanced to provide for balanced cooling of the sidewall and bottom wallof a glass container which may be desirable.

In one embodiment, the cooling tube 406 and nozzle 408 are configuredsuch that 50%±10% of the cooling fluid provided to the cooling tubeassembly 404 exits the cooling tube assembly 404 through thethroughbores 418, 424, and 426 and 50%±10% of the cooling fluid providedto the cooling tube assembly 404 exits the cooling tube assembly 404through the bore 432 of the nozzle 408. In another embodiment, thecooling tube 406 and nozzle 408 are configured such that 50%±less than8% of the cooling fluid provided to the cooling tube assembly 404 exitsthe cooling tube assembly 404 through the throughbores 418, 424, and 426and 50%±less than 8% of the cooling fluid provided to the cooling tubeassembly 404 exits the cooling tube assembly 404 through the bore 432 ofthe nozzle 408. In another embodiment, the cooling tube 406 and thenozzle 408 are configured such that 44% of the cooling fluid provided tothe cooling tube assembly 404 exits the cooling tube assembly 404through the throughbores 418, 424, and 426 and 56% of the cooling fluidprovided to cooling tube assembly 404 exits the cooling tube assembly404 through the bore 432 of the nozzle 408.

The diameter of the second portion 436 increases from the junction tothe second end 430. The wall defining the second portion 436 of the bore432 extends at an angle θ4 relative to the longitudinal axis A. In oneembodiment, the angle θ4 is between 10° and 30°. In another embodiment,the angle θ4 is 20°.

With reference to FIG. 52A, the outer surface of the nozzle 408 includesa first portion 438 extending away from the first end 428 at an angle θ5relative to the longitudinal axis A. In one embodiment, the angle θ5 isbetween 5° and 15°. In another embodiment, the angle θ5 is 10°. Thefirst portion 438 extends from the first end 428 to a junction 440. Theouter surface of the nozzle 408 includes a second portion 442 extendingparallel to the longitudinal axis A from the junction 440 to atransition portion 444. The outer surface also includes a radiallyoutwardly extending portion 446 extending radially outwardlyperpendicular to the longitudinal axis A from the transition portion 444to an interface portion 448 configured to abut the inner surface 420 ofthe cooling tube 406 (see FIG. 53).

The interface portion 448 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis Afrom the outwardly extending portion 446 to an angularly inwardlyextending portion 450. The angularly inwardly extending portion 450extends from the interface portion 448 to a relief portion 452. Therelief portion 452 extends from the angularly inwardly extending portion450 to a radially outwardly extending flange portion 454 configured toabut the second end 416 of the cooling tube 406 (see FIG. 53). The outersurface of the nozzle 408 includes an outer portion 456 extending fromthe flange portion 454 to the second end 430 of the nozzle 408. Theouter portion 456 is configured to be located outside of the coolingtube 406 (see FIG. 53).

With further reference to FIG. 52A, the nozzle 408 has a diameter D9 atthe second portion 442 of the outer surface. In one embodiment, thediameter D9 is between 5 millimeters and 10 millimeters. In anotherembodiment, the diameter D9 is between 8.3 millimeters and 8.7millimeters. In another embodiment, the diameter D9 is 8.5 millimeters.The diameter D9 is less than the inner diameter D1 of the cooling tube406 (see FIG. 50), allowing a portion of the nozzle 408 to be locatedinside of the cooling tube 406 (see FIG. 53).

With further reference to FIG. 52A, the nozzle 408 has a diameter D10 atthe outer portion 456. In one embodiment, the diameter D10 is betweenmillimeters and 15 millimeters. In another embodiment, the diameter D10is 12 millimeters. The diameter D10 is greater than the inner diameterD1 of the cooling tube 406 (see FIG. 50), preventing the outer portion456 from being located inside of the cooling tube 406 (see FIG. 53). Inone embodiment, the diameter D10 is the same as the outer diameter D2 ofthe cooling tube 406 (see FIG. 50). In one embodiment, the diameter D10is greater than the inner diameter D1 of the cooling tube 406 but lessthan or equal to the outer diameter D2 of the cooling tube 406.

With further reference to FIG. 52A, the nozzle 408 has a diameter D11 atthe interface portion 448. In one embodiment, the diameter D11 isbetween 9 millimeters and 11 millimeters. In another embodiment, thediameter D11 is 10 millimeters. In one embodiment, the diameter D11 isthe same as the inner diameter D1 of the cooling tube 406, with theinterface portion 448 configured to abut the inner surface 420 of thecooling tube 406 (see FIG. 53). In one embodiment, the nozzle 408 iscoupled to the cooling tube 406 by welding. In another embodiment, thenozzle 408 may be coupled to the cooling tube 406 by another suitablemechanism or method.

With further reference to FIG. 52A, the nozzle 408 extends a length L2from the first end 428 to the second end 430. In one embodiment, thelength L2 is between 10 millimeters and 25 millimeters. In anotherembodiment, the length L2 is 17 millimeters. The outer portion 456 ofthe nozzle 408 extends a length L3. In one embodiment, the length L3 isbetween 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters. In another embodiment, thelength L3 is between 2.8 millimeters and 3.2 millimeters. In anotherembodiment, the length L3 is 3 millimeters.

With further reference to FIG. 52A, the outwardly extending portion 446is a distance L4 from the flange portion 454. In one embodiment, thelength L4 is between 2 millimeters and 4 millimeters. In anotherembodiment, the length L4 is between 2.8 millimeters and 3.2millimeters. In another embodiment, the length L3 is 3 millimeters.

With further reference to FIG. 52A, the flange portion 454 is a distanceL5 from the first end 428 of the nozzle. In one embodiment, the distanceL5 is between 10 millimeters and 20 millimeters. In another embodiment,the distance L5 is 14 millimeters. In one embodiment, the distance L5 isgreater than the distance D5 (see FIG. 49). With reference to FIG. 53,in one embodiment, the nozzle 408 is configured such that the first end428 of the nozzle 408 is located past the throughbores 418 of the firstrow when the nozzle 408 is located in the cooling tube 406. In oneembodiment, the throughbores 418 of the first row are located axiallybetween the first end 428 of the nozzle 408 and the second end 416 ofthe cooling tube 406.

The cooling tube 406 has a flow path with an area, e.g., cross-sectionalarea. In one embodiment, the nozzle 408 is configured to use between 55%and 90% of the cross-sectional area of the flow path. In anotherembodiment, the nozzle 408 is configured to use between 75% and 85% ofthe cross-sectional area of the flow path. In another embodiment, thenozzle 408 is configured to use 79% of the cross-sectional area of theflow path.

In one embodiment, the nozzle 408 is configured to pass cooling fluid,e.g., air, at a pressure of 1.5 bar through the bore 432 of the nozzle408 from the first end 428 to the second end 430 at a rate of between 50standard cubic feet per minute and standard cubic feet per minute. Inanother embodiment, the nozzle 408 is configured to pass cooling fluid,e.g., air, at a pressure of 1.5 bar through the bore 432 of the nozzle408 from the first end 428 to the second end 430 at a rate of 56standard cubic feet per minute.

In one embodiment, the nozzle 408 is shaped and configured to minimizepressure loss while balancing the flow between the throughbores 418,424, and 426 in the cooling tube 406 and the bore 432 in the nozzle 408.

In one embodiment, the throughbores 418, 424, and 426 are sized andconfigured to provide for high velocity cooling fluid flow therethroughto provide for turbulence and desirable cooling quality. In oneembodiment, the cooling fluid exiting the bore 432 of the nozzle 408 hasa velocity of between 20 meters per second and 30 meters per second andthe cooling fluid exiting the throughbores 418, 424, and 426 has avelocity of between 70 meters per second and 80 meters per second. Inanother embodiment, the cooling fluid exiting the bore 432 of the nozzlehas a velocity of 25 meters per second and the cooling fluid exiting thethroughbores 418, 424, and 426 has a velocity of 75 meters per second.

It is desired that the cooling tube 406 and nozzle 408 be configured toprovide 56 standard cubic feet per minute of air at 1.5 bar to reducethe temperature of the inner surface of a glass bottle having a 330milliliter capacity, weighing 200 grams, and having a maximum diameterof 63 millimeters from 1166° Fahrenheit to 572° Fahrenheit in less than9 seconds. Optimally, the cooling tube 406 and nozzle 408 can beconfigured to provide 56 standard cubic feet per minute of air at 1.5bar to reduce the temperature of the inner surface of the glass bottledescribed above from 1166° Fahrenheit to 572° Fahrenheit in 7 seconds.Embodiments of cooling tube assemblies described above may also be usedto cool bottles having different dimensions, configurations, etc.

Although the foregoing description of the present invention has beenshown and described with reference to particular embodiments andapplications thereof, it has been presented for purposes of illustrationand description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the particular embodiments and applications disclosed. Itwill be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a numberof changes, modifications, variations, or alterations to the inventionas described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit orscope of the present invention. The particular embodiments andapplications were chosen and described to provide the best illustrationof the principles of the invention and its practical application tothereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the inventionin various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. All such changes, modifications,variations, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within thescope of the present invention as determined by the appended claims wheninterpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly,legally, and equitably entitled.

While the current application recites particular combinations offeatures in the claims appended hereto, various embodiments of theinvention relate to any combination of any of the features describedherein whether or not such combination is currently claimed, and anysuch combination of features may be claimed in this or futureapplications. Any of the features, elements, or components of any of theexemplary embodiments discussed above may be claimed alone or incombination with any of the features, elements, or components of any ofthe other embodiments discussed above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling tube assembly comprising: a cylindricalcooling tube extending from a first end to a second end, the coolingtube having an inner surface, an outer surface, an inner diameter, andan outer diameter, the cooling tube including a first plurality ofthroughbores and a second plurality of throughbores located axiallybetween the first plurality of throughbores and the second end of thecooling tube, each of the second plurality of throughbores beingcircumferentially offset from each of the first plurality ofthroughbores; a nozzle extending from a first end to a second end, thefirst end of the nozzle being located inside the cooling tube with thefirst plurality of throughbores being located axially between the secondend of the cooling tube and the first end of the nozzle; wherein thenozzle includes a first portion with an outer diameter less than theinner diameter of the cooling tube and a second portion with an outerdiameter greater than the inner diameter of the cooling tube; whereinthe nozzle includes a bore extending from the first end to the secondend, the bore having a first cross-sectional area in a first portionextending from the first end to a junction; and wherein each individualone of the first plurality of throughbores has a cross-sectional area;and wherein the cross-sectional area of each individual one of the firstplurality of throughbores is between 5% and 15% of the firstcross-sectional area of the bore of the nozzle.
 2. The cooling tube ofclaim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of each individual one of thefirst plurality of throughbores is between 8% and 12% of the firstcross-sectional area of the bore of the nozzle.
 3. The cooling tube ofclaim 1, wherein the first plurality of throughbores are evenly spacedaround the circumference of the cooling tube.
 4. The cooling tubeassembly of claim 1, wherein each of the second plurality ofthroughbores has a cross-sectional area; and wherein the secondplurality of throughbores are evenly spaced around the circumference ofthe cooling tube.
 5. The cooling tube assembly of claim 4, furthercomprising a third plurality of throughbores each having across-sectional area and being located between the second plurality ofthroughbores and the second end of the cooling tube.
 6. The cooling tubeassembly of claim 5, wherein the sum of the cross-sectional areas of allof the first, second, and third pluralities of throughbores is between100% and 300% of the first cross-sectional area of the first portion ofthe bore.
 7. The cooling tube assembly of claim 1, wherein thecross-sectional area of the bore increases from the junction to thesecond end.
 8. The cooling tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the bore ofthe nozzle extends along a central axis; wherein the outer surface ofthe nozzle includes a first portion extending from the first end to ajunction; and wherein the first portion forms an angle of between 5° and15° with the central axis.
 9. The cooling tube assembly of claim 1,wherein the outer surface of the nozzle includes a first portion,wherein the first portion forms an angle of 10° with the central axis.10. The cooling tube assembly of claim 1, wherein the nozzle isconfigured to pass air at a pressure of 1.5 bar through the nozzle fromthe first end to the second end at a rate of between 50 standard cubicfeet per minute and 60 standard cubic feet per minute.
 11. The coolingtube assembly of claim 10, wherein the nozzle is configured to pass airat a pressure of 1.5 bar through the nozzle from the first end to thesecond end at a rate of 56 standard cubic feet per minute.
 12. A coolingtube assembly comprising: a cylindrical cooling tube extending from afirst end to a second end, the cooling tube having an inner surface, anouter surface, an inner diameter, and an outer diameter, the coolingtube including a first plurality of throughbores and a second pluralityof throughbores located axially between the first plurality ofthroughbores and the second end of the cooling tube, each of the secondplurality of throughbores being circumferentially offset from each ofthe first plurality of throughbores; a nozzle extending from a first endto a second end, the first end of the nozzle being located inside thecooling tube with the first plurality of throughbores being locatedaxially between the second end of the cooling tube and the first end ofthe nozzle; wherein the nozzle includes a first portion with an outerdiameter less than the inner diameter of the cooling tube and a secondportion with an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of thecooling tube; wherein the nozzle includes a bore extending from thefirst end to the second end, the bore having a first cross-sectionalarea in a first portion extending from the first end to a junction;wherein each of the second plurality of throughbores has across-sectional area, and wherein the second plurality of throughboresare evenly spaced around the circumference of the cooling tube; furthercomprising a third plurality of throughbores each having across-sectional area and being located between the second plurality ofthroughbores and the second end of the cooling tube; and wherein the sumof the cross-sectional area of all of the first, second and thirdpluralities of throughbores is 216% of the first cross-sectional area ofthe first portion of the bore.
 13. A cooling tube assembly comprising: acylindrical cooling tube extending from a first end to a second end, thecooling tube having an inner surface, an outer surface, an innerdiameter, and an outer diameter, the cooling tube including a firstplurality of throughbores and a second plurality of throughbores locatedaxially between the first plurality of throughbores and the second endof the cooling tube, each of the second plurality of throughbores beingcircumferentially offset from each of the first plurality ofthroughbores; a nozzle extending from a first end to a second end, thefirst end of the nozzle being located inside the cooling tube with thefirst plurality of throughbores being located axially between the secondend of the cooling tube and the first end of the nozzle; and wherein acenter of each of the first plurality of throughbores are spaced 45°from a center of each of the ones of the first plurality of throughboreson either side relative to a center axis of the cooling tube.
 14. Acooling tube assembly comprising: a cylindrical cooling tube extendingfrom a first end to a second end, the cooling tube having an innersurface, an outer surface, an inner diameter, and an outer diameter, thecooling tube including a first plurality of throughbores and a secondplurality of throughbores located axially between the first plurality ofthroughbores and the second end of the cooling tube, each of the secondplurality of throughbores being circumferentially offset from each ofthe first plurality of throughbores; a nozzle extending from a first endto a second end, the first end of the nozzle being located inside thecooling tube with the first plurality of throughbores being locatedaxially between the second end of the cooling tube and the first end ofthe nozzle; and wherein a center of each of the second plurality ofthroughbores are spaced 45° from a center of each of the ones of thesecond plurality of throughbores on either side relative to a centeraxis of the cooling tube.
 15. A cooling tube assembly comprising: acylindrical cooling tube extending from a first end to a second end, thecooling tube having an inner surface, an outer surface, an innerdiameter, and an outer diameter, the cooling tube including a firstplurality of throughbores and a second plurality of throughbores locatedaxially between the first plurality of throughbores and the second endof the cooling tube, each of the second plurality of throughbores beingcircumferentially offset from each of the first plurality ofthroughbores; a nozzle extending from a first end to a second end, thefirst end of the nozzle being located inside the cooling tube with thefirst plurality of throughbores being located axially between the secondend of the cooling tube and the first end of the nozzle, wherein thenozzle includes a first portion with an outer diameter less than theinner diameter of the cooling tube and a second portion with an outerdiameter greater than the inner diameter of the cooling tube, whereinthe outer diameter of the second portion defines a maximum outerdiameter of the nozzle, and wherein the second portion terminates at aseat interposed between the first and second ends, the seat seatingagainst an axial face of the cooling tube at the second end of thecooling tube; and wherein a center of each of the first plurality ofthroughbores are circumferentially offset by 22.5° from a center of eachof the second plurality of throughbores closest proximate on either siderelative to a center axis of the cooling tube.
 16. The cooling tubeassembly of claim 15, wherein each of the third plurality ofthroughbores is circumferentially aligned with one of the firstplurality of throughbores relative to a center axis of the cooling tube.